As Google continues to develop vertical search engines they are naturally flirting with anti-trust issues. We already saw a pre-cursor to this with Google Flig

As Google continues to develop vertical search engines they are naturally flirting with anti-trust issues. We already saw a pre-cursor to this with Google Flights, even though the Justice Department cleared Google's acquisition there were significant conditions Google had to concede [1]. Here Google's insurance product will go far beyond Google Flights in terms of anti-trust issues. Moreover, it would be like Google Flights if Google: 1.) directly sold airline tickets on behalf of airlines (instead of linking you to where you can buy tickets); and 2.) if Google owned its own airline. The other issue, which many have touched on, down the road is the potential conflict of interest, if simultaneously a driver owns a Google self-driving car and Google is the insurer. That said health insurance companies are acquiring hospitals and physician owned practices in record numbers, and while I see an inherit conflict of interest there is apparently no regulations in place prohibiting this practice. Do consumers really want the manufacturer of a self-driving car to be the same company who might be determining liability on an insurance claim? [1]http://www.wired.com/2011/04/google-ita/ http://www.wired.com/2011/04/google-ita/